Prior processes have prepared carboxy alkylated surfactants by reacting 1 mole of a high molecular weight alcohol ether with 2 moles of inorganic hydroxide in flake form followed by the addition of chloroacetic acid, a known skin irritant, to produce the corresponding non-ionic surfactant. However, this process generates eye and skin irritating alkali metal chloride by-product which is difficult and expensive to separate from the desired product. Also the process requires a 1 mole excess of hydroxide reactant which is consumed in the reaction to form waste by-product metal chloride. Accordingly, the process makes inefficient use of the hydroxide to achieve alkylated surfactant and time consuming purification steps must be employed where the product is to be used as a surfactant in cosmetic or medicinal formulations.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present process to eliminate these defficiencies while providing an economical and commercially feasible process.
Another object is to provide a process for the preparation of a carboxypropylated surfactant in a high state of purity and in yields above 85%.
Still another object is to provide a process which eliminates the use of the chloroacetic acid irritant and which produces a non-ionic carboxypropylated surfactant which can be directly incorporated into a cosmetic or medicinal formulation.
Still another object is to provide a process in which the chain length of the surfactant molecule can be extended and regulated by proper selection of adduct coreactant.